In a remarkable rescue that has offered a fresh moment of hope amid Nepal’s devastating Bhotekoshi flood, a 64-year-old woman has been pulled alive from a house buried under mud and debris in Betrawati, Nuwakot, 10 days after she became trapped.
The woman, Chandika Kumari Shrestha, was found unconscious on the upper floor of a four-storey house in Bidur Municipality-10 on Saturday. An Armed Police Force (APF) team rescued her after reaching the debris-covered building.
The rescue came on the 11th day since the Bhotekoshi flood disaster, which has caused widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal and left thousands of people missing.
According to the Armed Police Force, a nine-member rescue team led by Inspector Suman Kumar BK carried out the operation.
Shrestha was discovered unconscious inside the upper portion of the house, which had been heavily buried by mud and debris following the devastating flood and landslides.
Rescuers carefully cleared the accumulated material before reaching her and bringing her out alive.
The rescue provided an emotional moment for the security personnel involved, particularly after days of searching through destroyed homes, tunnels and other structures for survivors.
Immediately after being rescued, Shrestha was transported by helicopter to the Nepali Army’s Maithili Barracks in Trishuli, where she received initial medical attention.
The Prime Minister’s Office said she would be brought to Kathmandu for further treatment if necessary.
Her survival after spending 10 days trapped beneath flood debris has raised hopes among families whose relatives remain unaccounted for following the disaster.
Shrestha’s rescue came on the same day that rescuers pulled a Chinese national alive from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Rasuwa.
The man, identified as Luhaitao, was found approximately 225 metres inside the tunnel by a joint Nepali and international rescue team. He was taken for medical examination after being brought out.
Two Nepali workers were also rescued alive from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project on Friday after spending nine days trapped inside the tunnel. These rescues have encouraged teams to intensify searches at other hydropower facilities where workers are still believed to be missing.
The latest official figures available on Saturday showed the enormous scale of the disaster.
According to data reported by Nepal’s authorities, the death toll had risen to 1,375, while 5,531 people remained missing. At least six hydropower projects on the Nepali side of the border have been affected, with searches continuing for hundreds of workers.
The government’s previous situation update on September 4 had reported 1,287 bodies recovered, 13,093 people rescued and around 5,083 people still missing, illustrating how rapidly the figures continue to change as search teams reach previously inaccessible areas.
The Bhotekoshi disaster struck on August 26 after an ice-rock avalanche triggered a massive surge of water, mud and debris through the affected valleys.
Nepali security forces, supported by rescue specialists from several countries, continue to search hydropower tunnels and damaged settlements in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and other flood-affected districts.
The discovery of survivors after nine and 10 days has demonstrated that rescue operations can still produce unexpected breakthroughs—even as the scale of loss continues to grow.
For families still waiting for news of missing relatives, the rescue of Chandika Kumari Shrestha is more than a remarkable survival story. It is a reminder that hope remains even in the darkest days of the disaster.
HamroBichar will continue to follow the Bhotekoshi disaster and provide verified updates on the ongoing search, rescue and relief operations.
Tags: Bhotekoshi Flood, Nuwakot, Chandika Kumari Shrestha, Nepal Flood, Rescue Operation, Betrawati, Disaster 2026, HamroBichar
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